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Cannons to be placed to commemorate siege

Roger Smith, flanked by retired U.S. Army Col. Rik Erkelens and uniformed British Redcoat reenactor Brian Bowman, addresses the crowd of about 30 people who showed up Wednesday to Oglethorpe Park in Davis Shores for an event publicizing the effort to place three replica cannons in the park to commemorate the 1740 siege of St. Augustine, when British Gen. James Oglethorpe fired on St. Augustine from this spot. By Douglas Jordan, Special to The Record

Roger Smith, flanked by uniformed British Redcoat reenactor Brian Bowman, addresses the crowd of about 30 people who showed up Wednesday to Oglethorpe Park in Davis Shores for an event publicizing the effort to place three replica cannons in the park to commemorate the 1740 siege of St. Augustine, when British Gen. James Oglethorpe fired on St. Augustine from this spot. By Douglas Jordan, Special to The Record

About 30 people showed up Wednesday to Oglethorpe Park in Davis Shores for an event publicizing the effort to place three replica cannons in the park to commemorate the 1740 siege of St. Augustine, when British Gen. James Oglethorpe fired on St. Augustine from this spot. By Douglas Jordan, Special to The Record

Three white flags marked the spot Wednesday where three cannons will soon be placed in Oglethorpe Park in Davis Shores, aimed squarely at the Castillo de San Marcos.

The cannons, which will be nonfunctioning replicas, will commemorate the 1740 siege of St. Augustine, when British Gen. James Oglethorpe, founder of the colony of Georgia, used a mixed force of British regulars, colonial militia and native Americans to attack St. Augustine, which was then under Spanish rule.

About 40 people showed up for the event to publicize the effort to place the cannons in the park, which is being coordinated by retired U.S. Army Col. Rik Erkelens and retired U.S. Air Force Col. Ron Radford of the Military Officers Association of America.

Smith said the British chose what is now Davis Shores as a vantage point from which to attack the city because it was difficult to approach from the west due to swampland.

“The idea was to bombard the Castillo,” Smith said. “But the coquina of the fort absorbed the impact of cannon fire, and it proved to be an unsuccessful effort.”

Erkelens said the cannon project is budgeted at about $11,000, which is coming from community donations through the Veterans Council and is about 90 percent funded.

He said it is also being billed as a Military 450th Signature Event and the cannons will be deeded to the City of St. Augustine. Donors who contribute at least $200 will get their names on plaques next to the cannons. The city is providing the pedestals for the cannons.

The cannons themselves will be installed later, with a dedication on June 30, Erkelens said.